Fuel Change

PILOT CLIMATE EDUCATION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS

Fuel Change initiative aims to introduce climate change into every subject

A pilot education programme, which aims to include climate education in every subject on the curriculum, has been introduced to Scottish pupils this week.

Scottish social enterprise Fuel Change has launched its Foundations pilot in 12 secondary schools, with plans for a national rollout in August 2022.

Over the next few years, Fuel Change aims to infuse climate education throughout the curriculum in 10,000 schools globally, raising awareness of the crisis and encouraging a permanent shift in behaviour.

The Falkirk-based organisation aims to empower young people to create a carbon neutral future for the next generation.

Fuel Change is fast gaining traction among government, industry and the education sector, with the ambition to eventually become a global platform that galvanises young people into taking meaningful action to address climate change, protecting the planet for their future and their children’s future.

The Foundations programme aims to help build a greener future for Scotland by educating the next generation and arming them with the knowledge and experience needed for a cleaner, greener future.

Teachers at the pilot schools will play a key role in developing the framework, which will see climate change messages and learning built into lessons across all subjects, ranging from geography, maths and sciences to drama, English and modern studies.

The aim is to develop a core set of flexible materials across the curriculum which can be replicated in every school in Scotland as well as much further afield. Schools can then choose from various approaches to suit their individual needs.

David Reid, chief executive of Fuel Change, said: “We’re proud to be supporting this innovative programme in schools. At Fuel Change, we’ve identified that it’s not just a top-down approach that’s needed to help Scotland move towards Net Zero, a bottom-up approach will allow our next generation to drive change.

“As well as giving young people aged between 16 and 24 the opportunity to get involved with rea-life carbon challenges and have a strong voice on climate change, we know we need to reach children at the youngest age possible and raise awareness of the climate crisis and how we can work together to tackle it now.

“The aim of the Foundations programme is to provide young people with an all-encompassing education around climate change and link it to everything we do.”

He added: “Children are the next generation so it’s vital we raise awareness at an early stage and give them an opportunity to develop positive behaviours and skills that will allow them to thrive as they grow up and become the workforce of the future.”

Fuel Change will support schools to create a student-led programme of activities bespoke to them, to deliver credible climate-based actions.

Pupils will be given the information and incentives necessary to make their own decisions on future choices and behaviours which align to a low carbon society.

Among the schools which have signed up to the pilot are Larbert High; McLaren High in Callendar; The Royal High School in Edinburgh; Wallace Hall Academy, Dumfries and Galloway; Queen Anne High, Dunfermline; Lasswade High, Bonnyrigg; Preston Lodge High, Prestonpans; Alloa Academy; Wallace High, Stirling; Craigmount High, Edinburgh; St Mungos, Falkirk and Kings Park Secondary, Glasgow.

Barry Graham, Head Teacher of Wallace Hall Academy, commented: “As a school Climate Change is not something that we are just starting to look at. For a number of years at Wallace Hall Academy and Primary we have had very successful Eco Groups and the COP26 conference just helps to underline how important this issue is locally, nationally and internationally. It is so important that we give our young people the information and allow them to develop their own conclusions on how best to support the debate around environmental issues. They are the ones who will be living in the future and it is important that they are given the opportunity to shape that future.“

For more information, visit https://fuelchange.co.uk/